New Lessons at Hogwarts
by ArabianDressage
Summary: Set in seventh year, Harry, Ron, and Hermione have a new class...with the Slytherins and taught by none other than Professor Snape. Who knew Snape could ride a horse? Please read and review. Tell me if I should continue. If I do, it might turn into a bit of Hermione/Snape...
1. Chapter 1: Horses at Hogwarts?

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this little plot I thought up one day. It is my first Harry Potter fanfic so be easy on me.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, quidditch would be played on flying horses. Just kidding.**

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**Chapter 1: Horses at Hogwarts?**

"I've always wanted to learn to ride a horse!" Hermione squealed. The new seventh years sat in the common room looking at their new schedules. Three mornings a week, they had horseback riding lessons with the Slytherins.

"Oh boy," Ron moaned to Harry, "why are we always paired with Malfoy? And look at this! Snape's teaching!"

"Yea, we're going to be dead by the end of the year. Look at Hermione," Harry replied. Both boys looked over at the flushed and grinning face of Hermione Granger. She was talking excitedly to Lavender Brown about their new class.

"Oh boy," Ron sighed, "looks like we've got our hands full with just her!" The next day was the first day of classes so they tried to get to bed early. "Harry, did you see what time these horseback riding lessons are scheduled for? 6 o'clock in the morning! That means we have to get up at 5 o'clock so we can eat breakfast! This is insane." Ron moaned as he pulled his pajama bottoms on.

"Yea, whoever planned these wasn't going to have to get up at 5 o'clock." Harry grumbled.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Hermione woke at 4 o'clock the next morning and jumped out of bed. "I wonder what we're supposed to wear?" she thought out loud. As if in answer to her question, several large owls with packages flew up to the window. Running over, Hermione opened the window and let the owls in. They dropped a package at each girls' bed and flew back out the window.

Opening her package, Hermione found a black riding helmet, tan riding breeches, black riding boots, black gloves, a red collared shirt, and a gold vest with her name on it. "They're beautiful!" she squealed, waking everyone in the room. Drawing the curtain to her bed, she changed into her new attire.

When she came out, Hermione found that the other girls were busy examining the contents of their packages. It seemed that each girl had received the same things she had. "I must go wake the boys," Hermione said to herself, "we don't want to be late in front of the Slytherins."

Ten minutes later, the common room was filled with a buzz of excitement. No one was allowed to go down and eat before 5 o'clock. The girls had gotten ready in record time since they all had caught the "horse sickness" as Ron called it. Soon the boys could be heard tramping down the stairs. The room fell silent as everyone watched to see what the boys would look like in their new clothes. Ron was unluckily the first one down and caught the first giggles of the girls as they saw him in his ridiculous riding attire. Harry followed and soon the room was once again in an uproar.

OoOoOoOoOoO

The boys were relieved when 5 o'clock finally came and they were allowed out of the noisy common room. The Great Hall wasn't much better: it seemed that the Slytherin girls had also caught the "horse sickness" and were busy talking loudly amongst themselves.

"Harry," Ron said smugly, "look at Malfoy. He looks miserable! Well, I guess something good can come out of this little adventure." Everyone sat down at their house tables. Plain oatmeal and milk had been provided for breakfast.

"Yuck! What is this?" Harry asked of no one in particular.

"That, Mr. Potter, is a healthy breakfast and one you will be eating every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Get used to it," Snape sneered as he swept into the room. The previously loud room was suddenly transformed into a very quiet one.

"Attention class," Snape said once he had reached the teachers' table, "you must eat your breakfast and meet me out on the quidditch field at 6 o'clock. Your horses will be waiting." With a swish of his cape, Snape left the room.

OoOoOoOoOoO

At precisely 6 o'clock, the seventh year Gyffindors and Slytherins arrived at the quidditch field. As Snape liked to make dramatic entrances, no one was worried when they didn't see him.

Sure enough, Snape's footsteps were heard coming across the wet morning grass. "Class," he said as he reached them, "sort yourselves by houses and genders into four straight lines." They obeyed.

Snape whistled and soon there was a sound of galloping horses coming nearer and nearer. "They're beautiful," Hermione sighed as she surveyed the black, grey, chestnut, and buckskin horses.

"Now," Snape's voice was heard again over the snorting and pawing of the horses, "do not be afraid because your horse can sense that. Each Slytherin boy will receive a black horse and each girl a grey." As he said this, the black horses and grey horses walked slowly up to their owners.

"Each Gryffindor boy will receive a chestnut horse and each girl a buckskin."

"I love mine!" Hermione squealed as she received her buckskin mare. The mare was a soft golden color with a single white star in the middle of her forehead. Her tail was held high and her profile was dished. "You must be an Arabian," Hermione whispered to her horse. During her spare time at Hogwarts, she had found every book on horses in the library. Now she was quite an expert.

"Class, you must now learn to saddle your horses. Watch me first and then do just as I do." Snape patted his black stallion and then lifted his green and silver saddle pad to the horse's back. Next, the saddle followed and then the girth. Finally, he slipped the bridle over his horse's head.

The class was not nearly as proficient as Snape. They struggled with lifting the English saddles onto their tall horses. Finally, everyone was saddled. Snape showed the class how to mount their horses.

Soon everyone was atop their steeds and the lesson began. Snape was not a fast paced teacher so the entire lesson was ridden at the walk. They learned to sit up straight and control their horses. "Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, please control your horses."

Since the Gyffindors had all received Arabians, they were all (except Hermione) having trouble controlling the fiery horses. The Slytherins had received Quarter Horses and were laughing heartily at the Gryffindors. Snape reined his Friesian stallion in and silenced them all with a look.

"Class, your lesson is finished but if you unsaddle your horses quickly, I will give a demonstration of what you will be able to do at the end of the year." The class quickly dismounted and unsaddled their horses. "Please find a seat in the audience." Snape said once they had finished.

Once he was satisfied that they were all in appropriate seats, he spurred his horse to a collected trot. Gently, he placed his right leg on his stallion and did a steep half-pass. He placed his new outside leg on the horse and broke into a smooth canter. Going across the diagonal, he made the horse skip in four then three and two and finally one. As an ending flourish, Snape lengthened his horse's stride once around the arena.

"Class dismissed." Snape said as he dismounted.

"I didn't know Professor Snape could ride like that!" Hermione gasped as she and Harry and Ron left the arena.

"Yea. I can't wait for out next lesson. I mean, it was okay." Ron blurted. Hermione laughed and the three walked back to the castle.

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**Author's Note: Please review and tell me if I should continue this. **


	2. Chapter 2: Trot, Canter, and Leg-yield?

**Author's Note: Sorry for this short chapter. I've been really busy and I just wanted to update. Also, I have not abandoned ****_Wrinkled Plans._**** I have been having a bit of writers block.**

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**Chapter 2: Trot, Canter, and Leg-yield?**

The morning of the next Gryffindor/Slytherin horseback riding class found Hermione up at 4:30 am waking all the girls. As soon as she was dressed, the boys were rudely woken by her banging loudly on their door.

"Harry, I dunno how much longer I can take this. I mean, this is only our second lesson and I'm already tired of it!" Ron groaned.

"I know, mate," Harry replied, "but we've got to get up or she'll give us a headache."

Hermione had the entire group of Gryffindor seventh years down to the Great Hall by 5 o'clock. The Slytherins arrived shortly after followed by the billowing cape of Professor Severus Snape.

The routine was the same as the previous time: after eating breakfast, the seventh year Gryffindor and Slytherins met Professor Snape on the quidditch field at 6 o'clock. They saddled their horses and mounted without too much trouble.

Today, Professor Snape had conjured several round pens to stand in the field. The class took turns learning to trot and canter their horses in the pens while the others learned to leg-yield.

"Ooo! This is so fun!" Hermione squealed as she figured out how to make her horse leg-yield. "I've always wondered how those people on T.V. made their horses move sideways. Now I can do it too!"

Several questions like "What's T.V.?" floated around the quidditch field unanswered. Ron and Harry looked at each other and rolled their eyes before returning to trying to get their horses to move sideways like Hermione's.

Soon the lesson was over and the class started to move back to the castle. "Can you believe Snape assigned us a two foot essay on the origin of dressage? I don't even know what dressage is!" Ron ranted to Harry and Hermione.

"Oh Ron," Hermione replied, "it won't be so bad. And anyway, you weren't paying attention in class today because Professor Snape explained what dressage was and what books to look in for the essay." Ron's ears turned a bright shade of red and he stayed silent for the rest of the walk up to the castle.


	3. Chapter 3: Tempi Changes and Pirouettes

**Chapter 3: Tempi Changes and Pirouettes**

The first semester had finished and the first lesson of the second semester began with learning to do walk pirouettes. When the horses were warmed up, Professor Snape surprised them all by teaching them to do something they'd al been wanting to do since his demonstration the very first day of class: tempi changes. Also known as skipping.

"Class, when performing tempi changes you must shift your hips slightly forward in one way or the other. Your horses know how to do it already. Miss Granger, you try first. Canter once around the field then come across the diagonal in two tempis." Professor Snape said.

Hermione was nervous but she put her head up and rode her mare to the center of the field and nudged her to a canter. After riding a smooth canter around the field she gently turned her horse across the diagonal. Counting her horse's strides, she shifted her hips once every two.

Bringing her mare back to a trot, she made her way back over to the class. "Good Miss Granger. Now Mr. Weasley, please see if you can pay attention for once and stay in control of your horse as you do four tempis across the diagonal." Hermione blushed at Professor Snape's almost-compliment. Ron gulped and attempted to do four tempis. After failing profusely, he came back to the class with bright red ears and an even brighter face.

The class progressed as they learned to do canter pirouettes. All too soon (for Hermione that is), class was over.


	4. Chapter 4: The Competition

**Author's Note: Sorry for all the short chapters. I'm trying to update more often. How are you liking how the story is going? Please remember to drop me a review. I really love them and it inspires me to write more. Also, I had one review for the last chapter stating that I had a typo saying that they are in seventh year instead of third like it was when I started this story. Well, I have decided to change which year they are in for reasons which you will find out later. Oh, and they are wizards and the horses are magical so they are able to learn dressage.**

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**Chapter 4: The Competition**

The next day at breakfast, Dumbledore stood to make an announcement. The hall went silent as he began, "Students of Hogwarts, you are all aware that the seventh years have been taking horseback riding lessons. Even though you may not know it, all of the teachers are able to ride as well. Since it has come to my attention that the teachers have had a bit of a disagreement on the matter of whether western or English riding is better. We will be holding a competition the first of next month to see which discipline is better. All seventh year students are invited to sign up. You will be paired with a teacher according to your riding level. You and your partner will perform a routine together to music. Decide whether you will ride English or western. If you choose English, you may jump if you like." When he had finished, he sat down and waved his wand at he back of the room. A sign up board appeared and the seventh years rushed to sign up. Hermione was one of the first to sign up but Harry and Ron didn't make it before the sheet was full. "I can't wait to see who I will be with!" Hermione said to herself as she sat back down.

The rest of the day passed rather quickly. Soon it was dinner time and all the students piled into the Great Hall. Dumbledore stood again to make another announcement.

"Thank you, seventh year students, for signing up for our first annual horseback riding competition. I am pleased to announce the pairs in which you will be competing." Dumbledore briefly looked down at the list he was holding before continuing, "Draco Malfoy and Professor McGonagall, Lavender Brown and myself, Neville Longbottom and Professor Sprout," the list continued leaving Hermione in a state of panic as neither her nor Snape's names were called. Finally, she had to face her fears when Dumbledore called, "and finally, we have Hermione Granger and Professor Snape."


	5. Chapter 5: Private Lessons

**Chapter 5: Private Lessons**

Hermione received a note from Snape the next morning at breakfast telling her to be out at the quidditch field at 5 o'clock the next morning. She groaned. "Why did I get Snape?"she mumbled to herself, "I should have known he would pick a time early in the morning just to torture me."

Early the next morning, Hermione was ready on the quidditch field. Alone. It was 5:05 and Snape had not arrived yet. "I really do wonder where he is," she said to herself, "he's never late. Oh well, he's probably just playing a trick on me." Sure enough, Snape swept out of the shadows a few minutes later.

"Miss Granger," he inclined his head slightly at her, "on time as usual."

"Professor," Hermione inclined her head as well.

"Shall we begin?"

"Yes sir." Hermione wondered why he was being so polite. Maybe Dumbledore told him to. Professor Snape let out a piercing whistle and soon both of their horses galloped into view. Both saddled their horses in silence and mounted smoothly.

"Miss Granger," Snape began, "I want you to know before we start that the reason we were chosen to perform together is that our abilities match each other. Meaning that you are my best student," he said grudgingly, "With that being said, I expect quite a bit from you. Let me fill you in on my ideas on what I want to do with our performance. We are going to do an English routine. My horse is not made to jump but I wish you to do so to show that jumping can be done. I also want our entire routine to revolve around dressage. I will choose a nice piece of music and we will go from there. Tonight, I will teach you to jump."

They proceeded to warm up their horses. "Miss Granger, allow me on your horse to show you how to jump." Hermione dismounted gracefully and held her professor's horse while he mounted hers. Conjuring a small jump in the middle of the field, he nudged the mare to a slow canter and pointed her to the middle of the jump. As he got close to the jump, he leaned forward and pushed his hands forward on the horse's neck. They sailed smoothly over the jump and cantered back to Hermione.

"Now, it's your turn," Snape said as he dismounted. Hermione handed the Friesian's reins back to Snape and mounted her horse. Trying her best to copy what she had seen Snape do, she sailed over the jump and trotted back to Professor Snape.

"That was acceptable. Now try a small course. Go over the first jump, turn right over the next, turn left and go over the last jump then canter back to me." Hermione completed the course with ease and looked for approval from Snape. He gave her a small nod and sent her back over a larger course of bigger jumps. This went on for a while before he finally told her to unsaddle her horse and return to the castle. On her way back, she saw Snape practicing dressage on the field alone. He and his black horse looked majestic in the growing darkness. Hermione shook her head. She had to stop thinking like this.

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**Author's Note: Please tell me what you think about this chapter. Next one coming soon!**


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